Just keep holding on
by jazz1999
Summary: Tails finally goes on his first mission, but things don't go as planned.  Can Sonic rescue Tails when he himself is injured? COMPLETED
1. Chapter 1

Note: I normally do not stay in the cannon of the cartoon or games. I tend to use the Sonic cartoon/comic for my stories, but I like to stray away from the plot. In my version, the freedom fighters are more of a rebel force with technology and weaponry, whereas in older Sonic cartoons etc….they didn't seem to have much tech. I find it makes for a more enjoyable story. If you don't like that kind of thing, then sorry. Just my way of writing.

**Just Keep Holding On**

**A Sonic the Hedgehog One-Shot**

Tails had spent most of the morning working on patrol routes for the various squads that would be sent out to hunt the various abominations Robotnik would send randomly into the forest in what up to this point had been a futile attempt to find Knothole.

After finishing the patrols Tails rubbed his eyes and sighed. _"This is a lot of work for someone they don't even let go on the missions. I still just don't get why I am not allowed to go."_

Tails shrugged off his internal questioning and walked over to the mess hall with hopes that Sonic would be there. Tails had been worried about Sonic ever since he had been wounded the previous week in a shootout with one of Robotnik's top generals. It was hard for Sonic to sit idle while troops went out and died everyday. Tails didn't want to admit it, but he knew the blue streak was depressed. Although at this point no one could blame him.

After all, they had to rely on an eight year old kit to help plan strategy. If that wasn't desperate, what was? Tails hadn't been around all that long, but he knew that most of the best and brightest were the first Robotnik went after. That's why there was almost no one left in intelligence.

It was also why Sonic refused to let Tails go on any missions. He was afraid of Tails being a priority one target. If Sonic could barely fight them and come home safe, then how could a little boy.

Granted Tails wasn't any ordinary boy. He could fly and not just airplanes either as his twin tails allowed him to not only keep up with Sonic, but be his eyes in the sky as well. However, Sonic didn't take Tails in just because of his military value. He wasn't like the rest.

Tails knew even if Sonic never told him, that they were family. That was enough to keep Tails happy. Perhaps a little bored, but happy.

Tails opened the large mess hall door slowly and peered in. Sure enough, Sonic was there waiting on Tails at their normal table.

"Yo! Bro! Get over here already! I already got your breakfast. Its going to get cold."

Tails smiled and sat down across from his brother. "Sorry I'm late, I know how much you don't like to wait…..the patrols are getting a lot harder to make….that's why…"

Sonic's eyes widened and he hacked on a piece of Chili dog. "Tails….I know where this is going and the answer is still NO. Please don't make me explain why you can't go."

"But Soooonic….I'm ready to go! You know I am. You trained me to be the best soldier in the résistance, yet you won't let me fight!

Sonic glared at his young friend, but didn't yell. "Tails. I trained you so that if something ever happened you'd be prepared. I don't want you going out into the forest and being the prime target. Most of the genome soldiers are dead and that leaves you going out in a normal patrol. That is something I am not prepared to send you on."

"But why?" Tails said in protest.

"Because." Sonic said and took a minute to compose himself. "You'd not make it home. No one would be able to protect you."

Tails knew when to stop and it was time. He looked down at his food and began to eat quietly. Sonic knew he was sad by his droopy ears, but a sad Tails is better than a dead one.

"Tails, if I didn't care about you I'd let you go. But I love you too much. You've just got to understand my reasons."

Tails didn't answer.

Sonic decided that it was time to leave. He moved his chair and picked up his crutches. "Alright bro, I'll see you later this morning at briefing. I've got a lot to do before then."

Tails looked up at his brother and smiled. "Gotcha…..I'll see you then….."

Sonic hobbled his way out of the mess hall, but couldn't get Tails off his mind. "_I've got to quit babying him or I'm going to lose him. He is perfectly capable of leading any of these patrols…..maybe Sally and Commander Jacobs can find him an easy one to tag along on….just once."_

Sonic shook his head. "Damn it Sonic, you are too young for this…"

Several hours past and all remaining fighters had amassed in the Briefing hall. Sally, Sonic and Commander Jacobs were explaining the routes that Tails had created for that week. Most of them were simple and allowed for more flexibility. Most of the grunts agreed with the routes and didn't say a word. Although several of the platoon leaders would give Tails a dirty glance from time to time.

However, Tails did outrank them and there wasn't anything they could do about it. Even if he didn't normally just stand around while everyone else talked.

After the briefing Tails was about to go work on some dilapidated computer systems when one of the genome platoon leaders walked up to him.

"Lieutenant Prower ?"

Tails spun around and looked at the very muscular fox. "Yes? Is something wrong?"

"No. I am to take you on a reconnaissance mission to Lake Mobius. We will be gone for several days. Pack your gear and meet me and my team within the next fifteen minutes."

Tails looked at the fox with disdain. "Look, if this is a joke…I really don't find it funny, everyone knows I'm not allowed-"

The large fox picked up the kit and brought him to eye level. "Look, I don't like having to bring you, but the brass say I have to. So I want you to get your gear and meet me here. Do not bitch and moan anymore. Is that understood…..Sir?"

Tails gulped. "Yes….yes I understand."

Tails took off for his and Sonic's home the second he was let loose. Once he packed his bag he looked up and saw Sonic standing there.

"Sonic! Did you hear? I get to go on a mission!"

Sonic smiled a weak smile. "Yeah, I know. I decided I'd let you grow up a little. Just…..Just don't go and die on me…ok? I need you."

Tails looked at Sonic and did not speak. Sometimes silence speaks more than even one thousand words.

Tails left Sonic and met the squad on the outskirts of Knothole.

Once Tails arrived, the platoon leader gave out his orders. "Alright men, we are on a reconnaissance mission to the lake. As you know, it is a day journey on foot so be prepared for a long ass walk. Intelligence tells us that we should encounter limited enemy encounters, but that doesn't mean you can take it easy."

Tails knew all of this already so he took the time to studies his new compatriots. Most of them were leftovers from the great war. The genomes were probably the strongest of all Mobians, but had been hunted to extinction by Robotnik right as this war broke out. Had Sonic and Sally not saved the few that remained, they probably would have already been enslaved to Robotnik.

"Lieutenant Prower? Are you ready to go or are you going to continue staring at my men?"

Tails blushed. "What? I was…."

The platoon laughed.

"Let's get a move on."

Things went without a hitch and Tails felt he had gained a large amount of knowledge on more ways to map out routes. He never knew about so many different branching paths. He could save even more lives now! Sonic would be so proud of him.

Suddenly several half robot half wolves and foxes came from the brush.

Clearly Robotnik had not killed all the genomes.

"Master Robotnik wants the fox alive! Kill the others but leave the kit alone!"

The platoon leader had the squad take a defensive position behind several rocks. Several of the men began to fortify their position while Tails and the platoon leader began to lay down a suppressing fire. Tails managed to kill one of the foxes almost immediately. It turned his stomach.

"Nice shootin' Tails!"

Tails turned around to thank the genome, but as he turned he watched as a bullet went straight through the fox's helmet and killed him in a spray of blood.

"Shit! Dakota is down. Travis! I need you to get on the phone and try to contact command. We are pinned down….without some type of support we are all doomed."

Tails gulped at what he heard the platoon leader tell his men.

The battle raged on for several hours with no ground gained or lost. Ammunition was becoming more scarce and the wounded were beginning to feel the effects of the lack of medical attention. More importantly, they couldn't get in touch with command.

In short, they were surrounded and alone.

Tails began to get more nervous once they were down to two men. Himself and the platoon leader had managed to live on. The platoon leader was desperately trying to contact command on the phone, until he too was shot and severely wounded. Strangely the hail of fire stopped. Perhaps they had to decide on another plan to actually take them alive.

The platoon leader asked Tails to help him take off his flak jacket and make his shirt into a turnaquet. Tails nodded and did as he was asked. The fox had lost a lot of blood and Tails really wasn't sure what he could do for him.

"Tails" The platoon leader said gruffly.

"Yes sir, I'm here sir."

"Don't call me sir….you out rank me anyway." The fox said with a laugh. "My name is Wes. I'd rather you call me that."

"Ok Wes….what are we going to do?"

Wes looked around at the carnage and closed his eyes. "We last as long as we can. I can't move right now anyway. Perhaps those abominations couldn't come up with a plan to get to you so they went back to Robotnik for further instruction.

Tails looked out from their position and noticed that he couldn't account for all of the squad. "Wes….we are missing a few bodies…do you think they got away?"

Wes looked at Tails. "What do you mean 'missing a few bodies'?"

"I can't account for the entire squad. There are two missing."

Wes nodded. "Perhaps our situation isn't as grave as I first thought. Tails, I want you to try and fix the radio. At least if we can get it working then we can rely our location back home. Can you fix it?"

Tails smiled. "I can fix anything!"

Wes winced. "Good. Then get to work."

Tails spend the next few hours taking apart the radio and attempting to find exactly what was causing the problems. Occasionally the abominations would take a few pot shots at them, but Wes managed to hold them off. If they ever got out of the predicament then Tails would be eternally grateful to the fallen for everything they did.

Tails was in his third hour of work when nightfall approached. "Wes, I can't see to do anymore work on it tonight. We will have to wait until morning."

Wes smiled weakly. "Alright….just make it fast in the morning…ok?"

"Alright."

Tails picked up his rifle and moved over beside Wes. "Wes…are you going to be alright? You are breathing really fast…it scares me."

"Sorry kid. Massive blood loss like I have isn't good. I won't lie to you. I am probably not going to make it home."

Tails looked at his new friend and put his head on Wes's shoulder. "No you'll see…I know you'll get home. Both of us will."

Wes didn't say anything. He didn't have to. He'd gotten himself a little brother….but he probably wouldn't get to enjoy it.

A few more hours past and suddenly Tails could hear movement coming their way. "Wes…did you hear that?"

"Yeah….keep your gun trained on the sound."

Tails kept a lookout until he saw someone coming.

"Wes….it looks like Yonder….I think he must have gone for help."

"Let him through….Tails…"

Tails nodded and both boys watched as Yonder made his way into the small defensive position.

"Squad leader….Lieutenant. I tried to go for help, but I couldn't make it….there are abominations all over the place. I didn't want to leave you here alone so I came back."

Tails stared at the new soldier. "Yonder….where is you flak jacket….and what happened to your side? It looks like it just healed over…."

Wes looked at Yonder as well. "Yeah man, where is your uniform. We don't want to see your naked ass body."

Yonder looked at his squad leader. "I was attacked by an abomination with a flame thrower. He caught the end of my uniform. I had to get rid of it or I would have been burned alive. Also, do you not remember that I was seriously injured last mission? It hasn't fully healed yet."

Wes looked at Yonder with a great deal of suspension. "Yonder….I'd KNOW if you had been injured in our last mission. We all came back without a scratch."

"I just didn't tell you. I didn't want to take the chance that you'd sideline me for a mission."

"Yonder….you are lying to me. We came across no hostiles on our last mission. It makes me wonder if you are really Yonder or not."

The young warrior looked at his squad commander and frowned. "Of course I am myself. I think it is you that is having difficulties. Perhaps your wound has made you unfit to command."

Wes looked over at Tails. "Tails help me up. Something is really wrong here."

Tails nodded his head and lifted the much larger fox up onto his shoulder. "Thanks kid. We need to get outa here. Leave the radio behind. This isn't the Yonder we remember. Robotnik's gotten to him. Look closely at his eyes and you'll understand."

"Yo Tails….his injury has him confused….don't listen to him." Yonder said as he backed away. Tails looked at Yonder's eyes and noticed they were now a dull grey. He had remembered them being ice blue. Those kind of eyes are hard to forget.

"W-what did they do to you Yonder?" Tails whimpered. "What really happened?"

Suddenly Yonder's eyes turned a deep red and his voice changed. "I see that I have failed to convince you to come with me Tails….the master will be displeased with me….I suppose I will have to just kill the both of you and at least get some enjoyment out of this."

Yonder raised his rifle and fired. Wes pushed Tails out of the way and took the full volley of shots directly in the chest. As he crumpled to the floor he managed to yell at Tails.

"Tails….take the radio….run…..I'll keep him from you….just a bit longer….."

Tails attempted to take Wes with him put he pushed him away. "No…I am finished. Let me protect you like a big brother should…"

Tails began to cry, but managed to grab the radio and run for the more dense part of the forest. As he ran he heard a large explosion. Wes had sacrificed himself in order to give him enough time to escape. Tails couldn't understand why anyone would sacrifice themselves for him. So far all he had done for anyone was cause trouble. He was a bother to Sonic and to the entire organization.

Tails heard a distant voice. It was Yonder's normal voice again.

"Tails stop! I just want to help you! We want to make you a better person!"

Tails laughed at this comment. He kept looking desperately for a place to hide. After a few minutes he found an already dug out fox hole and jumped in. He quickly took his camo blanket from his pack and threw it over the hole.

Tails fell to the cold ground and put his head into his bag so he could muffle his pathetic cries.

After Tails managed to regain his composure he picked up the radio and began to study it more closely. It looked to him like it had only been hit by a stray bullet, which meant it should have been easy to fix. Finally Tails threw down the radio and frustration, which caused it to open. Then Tails noticed the problem. The battery pack had been damaged. Tails could have smacked himself for being so stupid. He picked up the radio and fixed it using some of the medical tape he had left from patching up Wes.

"_Wes….I am so sorry. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have died."_

Tails shook off the unpleasant memory and turned on the radio. "Tails to station one….Tails to station one. Can you read me?"

The radio crackled for several seconds until Tails finally got a response. "This is station one. Tails. What is your current situation?"

Tails informed the communications officer of what had transpired and again begin to cry. The Communications officer decided the best thing to do was go get Sonic.

After Sonic arrived he picked up the phone and tried to calm his brother down.

"Hey….hey kid…its me…Sonic…can you tell your big brother what is wrong?"

Tails stared at the radio for a few seconds. "Y-eah big bro….things were going okay…then we got ambushed and everyone but me and Wes were killed…then apparently Yonder was brought back as one of those things…..and he shot Wes….and then Wes sacrificed himself to save me….I ran…I don't really have any idea where I am….I just dove into a foxhole and set up a small encampment. I don't really know what else to do."

Sonic was silent as he took in exactly what was happening.

"Sonic….Sonic I'm scarred. I know I wanted to do this…but…I didn't want the worst thing possible to happen right away….I know I'm trained…but this….this isn't what I expected."

Sonic fidgeted uncomfortably. "Its ok Tails, you have done everything correctly to this point. What I want you to do is stay exactly where you are. I am coming to find you."

Tails's eyes widened. "But…but your leg…..you are hurt…how.."

Sonic snapped. "Don't tell me that I can't go and rescue my little brother. I WILL find you. No matter how long it takes. I just want you to keep holding on. Do you understand me? Just stay strong. I'll find a way to protect you. I promise. Nothing anyone says or does will keep me from finding you."

Tails heard thunder in the distance and began to shiver. He heard rain begin to fall on the outside of his hole. "K-keep holding on?"

Sonic nodded, even if Tails couldn't see him. "That's right little brother. Just keep holding on and I'll be there as soon as I can."

Tails looked at the radio for a long time after it went dead. Sonic was coming for him. He'd be there soon. Tails just had to hold on long enough for Sonic to find him.

Just how exactly was he going to find him?

Sonic pushed out of the briefing building and began hobbling towards to great forest, that is until Knuckles came running up towards him.

"Bro! Where the hell are you going. You are in no shape to go out there!"

Sonic whipped around and snarled at Knuckles. "Don't you DARE tell me what I can and can't do. My little brother is out there somewhere and I am going to find him."

Knuckles tried to put a hand on Sonic's shoulder, but he pushed him away. "Don't start this crap on me. I am going. I will die before I leave him to his death. He. Is. A. KIT. So don't give me any of your bullshit stories right now. I love that kid and I am going after him."

Knuckles was taken back but stood his ground. "Sonic you don't even have a damn clue where to start looking."

Sonic waved a finger at Knuckles. "That is where you are wrong. It was thundering in the background. He mentioned rain. I need find a place near the lake where it is raining. I can do it. I can find him."

"Sonic….you can't run."

Sonic turned away from Knuckles. "Oh I can run….."

Knuckles tried to say more, but much to his and the many others who had crowded around the scene Sonic indeed did run out of Knothole and into the forest.

Although it was far from the blue streak speed he normally had. With every right step, Sonic felt enormous amounts of pain shooting through his body.

"_Pain….doesn't matter….pain doesn't matter….Tails….matters…"_

"_Tails….I'm coming. Just keeping holding on for me…"_

Tails was getting more scarred by the minute. The rain was coming down hard and he couldn't keep his cameo over the hole anymore. Instead, he wrapped it around himself so he could keep warm. However, his attackers had found him again and were taking pot shots at him. He kept hearing Yonder yelling at him.

"Come on Tails, join me and call Robotnik master. It feels incredible to be this alive."

Tails looked at the ground and shed another tear. "Yonder, if you were really thinking straight, you'd know that isn't true!"

Suddenly Tails heard feet running behind him. He whirled around in time to see one of the abominations take a dive at him. Tails quickly aimed and fired at the one time freedom fighter and dropped him. Tails then ran over and dragged the body back into his foxhole.

Tails scanned over the body looking for something to override Robotnik's control over him. To his horror he did find a small chip on the neck of the genome. However, before he could do anything he heard a familiar voice in the distance.

"Tails…Come here…we need you."

"Wes? Is that you? I-I thought you were dead!"

"You should have known it would take more than a few bullets to kill me. Come on back here so we can go home."

Tails almost bounded out of the hole until he realized something. Wes was too injured to have made it this far so soon.

"Wes…they got you too? Are you there with Yonder?"

Tails scanned the horizon and noticed two large figures standing in the distance. Once lighting flashed Tails was quickly able to see the figures and knew he was in trouble. His newest friends were both turned against him. Made to fight against ones they loved. It wasn't fair as both boys should have been allowed to die.

"I'm not coming up there Wes. You can't make me nor will you trick me."

Tails quickly turned back to the dead genome. He pulled out the chip and looked at it for as long as he felt he could keep his eyes off of the battlefield. He found a small switch that could reactivate the genome and make it work for him.

Tails sighed. "At this point I'll try anything."

Tails re-inserted the chip and watched as the boy's wound healed and he was reanimated again.

Tails looked at the coyote as it rose up and stood. "Do you remember your name?"

The grey coyote stared at Tails a long time before speaking. "I have been dead and risen so many times I no longer remember…."

Tails felt sick. "What are you going to do now that I brought you back?

The coyote again took a long time to speak. "I will do whatever you wish me to do. I have no other worldly purpose anymore."

"I need you to tell your friends that you have captured me. They do not know I have changed you."

"As you wish." The coyote then yelled over towards Wes and Yonder. "The boy is unconscious, you may come and take him now."

Yonder ran over to Tails's makeshift defensive position and stood over the fox. "Wes, get over here, its true the boy is out cold. We can complete our mission now."

Wes looked at the fox and sighed. "Maybe then we can rest."

Yonder looked at the older fox. "Rest? We can't ever rest. The master has much for us to do."

Tails took the awkward moment to grab his rifle and shoot Yonder dead. The coyote did the same with Wes. Tails didn't want to do it to either of them, but he figured they were much better off.

Tails looked at Wes and began to cry again. Why did Robotnik have to take his friends from him.

Tails turned to the coyote and asked him to go retrieve his bag. The warrior nodded and trudged back to get Tails's missing equipment.

Tails collapsed on the muddy ground and stared up at the dark sky. He knew the rain would be back soon. He was cold, wet and utterly saddened from being forced to kill his new friends. The kit turned and looked at his dead friends and cried.

"Sonic….where are you….you told me to keep holding on….I just don't know how much longer I can take this."

The blue streak was desperately running towards Lake Mobius as fast as his wounded body would take him. Never in his life did he think it'd take him this long to run anywhere. The pain in his leg caused him to stutter step occasionally which kept him from truly getting to top speeds.

"_Tails….I know I haven't been a real replacement for your family, but I swear to god I will be a better friend…a more loving brother…..just better all around…."_

Sonic kept looking for any signs of battle, but found nothing. The troops had been trained to leave no trace and they were some of the best. Sonic began to grow more and more frustrated.

Then the rain returned.

"Great….more rain."

Sonic pulled up the collar on his overcoat and began to run again, wincing as each time his foot hit the ground. He arrived at the lake and began to search for some type of tracks. After twenty minutes of searching he realized that they never made it this far. He had somehow missed Tails. He had to backtrack…but to where?

Then Sonic saw an explosion in the forest. Smoke billowed from the trees. Sonic immediately spun around and ran for the smoke. It had to be Tails.

"_I'm coming Tails….I'm coming."_

Tails had taken cover under the bodies of his two former friends when the Abominations fired a rocket at his location. He managed to survive with nothing more than singed fur. He looked around and found that not only were the abominations surrounding him and moving in, but the coyote had been killed and tossed aside as well.

Tails was at his wits end. Sure he was a good fighter, but he was alone and mentally exhausted. There wasn't much he could do. He decided he would act as if the blast had injured him.

"_Come on…..get close so I can fight you up close…." _Tails said as he kept his eye on the huge fox that was closing in on him. He noticed that two of his former squad members were closing in as well.

As the abomination turned Tails over to check his vitals, the young kit sprung into action. He quickly pulled his combat knife and slit open the large fox's neck. Blood sprayed all over Tails and one of the other abominations. It stood shocked, which gave Tails more time to react.

"N-No…how could you? The master said you were weak."

Tails smiled grimly. "Your master wasn't very smart."

Tails then threw his knife at the unsuspecting soldier and dropped him. Tails ran over and tried to retrieve his knife, but was grabbed by the leg.

"Huh?"

Tails turned to see Yonder staring at him with glowing red eyes. "I cannot rest until you are brought to the master…..I must take you to him. I cannot fail."

Tails's eyes grew wide. "Yonder? Could death not even stop you? How is this possible?"

Tails tried to run, but Yonder stabbed the poor kit straight through the leg. The kit screamed as blood poured from the wound.

"N-No….It can't end this way…" Tails said in a whimper. He then closed his eyes and expected the worst.

However no more pain came. Tails reopened his eyes and noticed that Wes had grabbed Yonder and was pinning him to the ground.

"Tails….go…..I….can protect you…one last time…."

"Let me take you with me Wes…."

Wes pulled his gun and pointed it at Tails. "Tails…go…I won't be able to fight the programming….GO! NOW!"

Tails nodded and began to crawl away as fast as he could. The mud from the rain made moving almost impossible. After a few minutes of desperate clawing at the mud, Tails lost his grasp and slid down an embankment and slammed his head against a rock.

"Got…got…to….keep….ru…running." Tails said to no-one in particular. He tried to stand, but couldn't. The entire world was spinning.

Tails then made a small whimper-like noise and fell the ground.

Sonic arrived at the war zone several minutes after it had ended. He was in shock to see how much damage had been done. All he could think of was that Tails had been fighting here and was probably all alone. Sonic began searching for clues of his whereabouts when he came across Wes and Yonder still fighting one another.

"Yonder! Wes! What are you doing here? Tails told me no one survived. Thank god you are alright."

Sonic quickly realized his error when Yonder turned and looked at him. "Wes….it's the hedgehog. We must kill him…the master made it the top priority….surely you can follow that command."

Wes shook his head. "Yonder….he is our commander….we cannot harm him!"

Yonder growled at his former leader. "You are weak and it is time for me to finish what I should have a long time ago."

Wes tried to move, but Yonder was too fast. It seemed like his new objectives made him even stronger. Yonder got Wes into a choke hold and snapped his neck like a twig. Once he was sure the fox was dead, he threw the body down and dusted off his hands.

"Now…where were we Sonic…?" Yonder said as he slowly began to move towards Sonic.

"W-What happened to you?" Sonic said clearly in shock over what had just happened.

"We were reborn to serve the master. Look at what he did for me! He made my body perfect. I am stronger now than I ever was before."

Sonic did notice that the boy had filled out and had a much larger athletic body.

"That doesn't mean you change sides and betray your squad."

Yonder laughed. "We betrayed no one. We all have been changed. Wes was the one that betrayed us. Everyone else died with honor."

Sonic was furious. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sonic began to jog circles around the soldier hoping to find just what had changed him.

Then he saw the chip on his neck….."Oh Yonder…you are being controlled. You need to realize that. You aren't a slave!"

Yonder took his machete from his back and threw it at Sonic. Sonic quickly dodged the large knife and leapt at the enslaved soldier. Yonder was unable to move quick enough and Sonic pinned him to the ground.

"WHERE IS TAILS? TELL ME NOW GOD DAMN IT!"

"I-I don't know. He crawled off after I failed at killing him. He is wounded so he couldn't have gone too far."

"Wounded? How. Tell. Me. How.

"I stabbed him through the leg after he murdered two of my brothers. "

Sonic was enraged. In a rage he flipped the soldier over and ripped the chip from his neck. He heard the boy scream and gurgle under him. After a few minutes he heard nothing but the slow breathing of the boy.

"Yonder?"

"Is…that…my…name? I don't….remember…anything…"

Sonic sighed and lifted the broken boy up.

Yonder looked at the carnage and then at his own strong body. "What….happened here….how did…I get so…..big?"

"You are a genome. Genomes are bigger than normal Mobians. What you are seeing here is a battle that you were part of. You tried to kill my little brother."

"Why would I want to do that….I…I don't feel like I'd want to kill anything…"

Sonic glared at the boy. He was running out of patience. "What…if anything do you remember?"

"Remember? All I remember is I'm supposed to…to…obey…something…or…someone…but…I don't know….who…or…what…."

"For now you can follow me. Right now we need to find Tails."

Sonic looked at the ground near Wes's dead body and noticed that there was a trail in the mud. Sonic followed the trail to the embankment and saw a small crumpled body at the bottom of the hill.

"OH GOD! TAILS! NO!"

Sonic slid down the hill and scooped up his little brother in his arms. He then pressed his head into his little brothers cold wet body and cried.

"Tails…no…I just wanted you to see how tough going on missions really was….I didn't want you to…to…die….please….forgive me…."

Tails moaned and looked up at Sonic. "mmm….what? S-sonic? Is that…you?"

Sonic hugged his brother as tight as he could and let the tears flow. "Tails…I thought I'd lost you….I am sorry that I was so slow…."

Tails looked at his brother weakly. "What are you talking about? You came and saved me on a broken leg…..how is that too slow….I…was able to hold on…just like you told me…"

Sonic looked at his little brother and realized that he had grown into a man in front of his very eyes.

"I love you Tails. I hope you understand how much I care about you."

"I do…Sonic…but…I'm really tired…can't we go home?"

Sonic heard a familiar voice. "Sonic you and your brother are not going anywhere!"

It was Carson. The heavy weapon specialist for the squad.

"Sonic give Tails to me!"

Sonic looked at Yonder almost pleadingly. The mind-wiped boy nodded. He understood what he must do. He looked on his belt and took his last gernade. Yonder pulled the pin and ran at Carson and the other abominations. Sonic then took this as an excuse to start running.

"Sonic…what is…happening?"

Sonic didn't look down and kept running. "Tails. Close your eyes. Don't look back."

Tails closed his eyes tight but could hear someone yell and then a large explosion. "Sonic…did…Yonder come back on our side….just long enough to save us?"

Sonic wiped the rain from his eyes and looked down at the fox in his arms. "Yeah. He did. He saved the both of us."

Tails sniffed. "They were great…all of them…."

Sonic nodded.

After several hours Sonic brought his brother him and put him in his bed. Sonic sat on the bed staring at his little brother for several minutes, then stood up.

"Sonic?"

"Yeah little bro?" Sonic said softly as he ruffled his brothers hair..

"I held on for you. I knew you'd come for me. I'll never forget what you did for me. Not ever."

Sonic smiled. "Hey…We are brothers…that's how it should be."

Tails stared into his brother's eyes. "We are much more than that Sonic….you are my dad….I don't care if you don't think you are…but….deep down….you have to know you are the closest thing to a dad I will ever have."

Sonic wiped a tear. "I'm sure…you'll be the closest thing to a son I'll have…."

"I love you Sonic…" Tails smiled and fell into a deep sleep.

"Same here kiddo."

Sonic plopped into the seat by Tails's bed and watched over him until he too fell asleep by his brothers side. Several of the other freedom fighters came to check in on the two brothers but Knuckles kept them from coming in.

"Those two have been through enough. Let them have some time to themselves. I think they've earned it."

Knuckles and the rest of the crowd of freedom fighters scattered back into their daily routine. However, no one knew what horrors awaited them.

**END**

**I could use this current story arc to fuel more adventures as I like the set-up. Let me know if you would like me to continue using this arc's characters and story.**


	2. A little information on future projects

Just a quick note to everyone interested.

I am done with all of my current projects and am currently looking for new stories and ideas. Also, I was thinking of using this story to start a whole new multi-chapter story.

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions let me know. I am not into a lot of the new shows and what-not now, but if I've heard of it I may be able to write something.

Thanks.


End file.
